Fancast: if Lotr films were made differently

[Pontin_Finnberry]

While Peter Jackson's Lord of the Rings Film Trilogy was epic and a few actors did justice to their character from the books (others not so much), thought it be fun to think about who else could have played the roles (without thinking about PJ's version), Here's a few i thought of.

Freddie Highmore as Peregrin Took
Jim Broadbent as Bilbo Baggins
Nicholas Hoult as Legolas
Tilda Swinton as Galadriel
Jeremy Irons as saruman
Gary Oldman as Gandalf
Henry Cavill as Glorfindel
Kristofer Hivju or Brian Blessed as Tom Bombadil

so wondering which actor would you have in mind to play a character from lotr? or any you agree with in the list so far.

[Boraxxe]

I don't know many of the names you have listed, so I don't really have an opinion.

But as far as I'm concerned, Ian McKellen owns Gandalf.
He nailed that performance as far as I'm concerned. More so in LOTR than The Hobbit. But I have trouble picturing anyone else in that role.

[Pontin_Finnberry]

I don't know many of the names you have listed, so I don't really have an opinion.

But as far as I'm concerned, Ian McKellen owns Gandalf.
He nailed that performance as far as I'm concerned. More so in LOTR than The Hobbit. But I have trouble picturing anyone else in that role.

Yes Ian McKellen is Gandalf, I'm glad he took the role he was perfect for it, Gary Oldman is another great actor who played dracula in the 1992 film and other great roles such as being Winston Churchhill (won the award for that), he knows how to change and be different in each of roles he plays, in my opinion hes the only other actor that could do Gandalf justice as well Ian McKellen did.

[Boraxxe]

Yes Ian McKellen is Gandalf, I'm glad he took the role he was perfect for it, Gary Oldman is another great actor who played dracula in the 1992 film and other great roles such as being Winston Churchhill (won the award for that), he knows how to change and be different in each of roles he plays, in my opinion hes the only other actor that could do Gandalf justice as well Ian McKellen did.

I agree that Oldman is quite the artist...maybe if I hadn't already convinced myself that Gandalf looks and sounds like McKellen...maybe.

I am also convinced that he thoroughly enjoyed portraying Gandalf...he just looks so content in the role.

Edit: I just want to add (while we are on this subject even though it's a bit of a detour) that there is only one scene in the movie that strikes me as a time when Ian is acting. It is the scene with Gandalf and Bilbo in front of Bilbo's mantel.

The scene is focused on Bilbo as he discovers that he has, in fact, kept the envelope with the ring in his pocket instead of placing it on the mantel.
Gandalf looks like he is reacting to someone simulating Bilbo on the sound stage and the simulation is slightly off-location to where the Bilbo we see on-screen is actually at.

One of the few directorial/editorial goofs.

[Wolfhelm]

The scene is focused on Bilbo as he discovers that he has, in fact, kept the envelope with the ring in his pocket instead of placing it on the mantel.
Gandalf looks like he is reacting to someone simulating Bilbo on the sound stage and the simulation is slightly off-location to where the Bilbo we see on-screen is actually at.

One of the few directorial/editorial goofs.

They used forced perspective quite a bit in that movie, for the scenes where hobbits and normal sized characters were acting together in the same frame. It's an old Hollywood trick, placing one actor much closer to the camera than the other, but making it appear that they are standing right next to each other. That way the actor closest to the camera appears much larger. I would imagine that may have happened in the scene you're referring to, McKellen probably momentarily forgot where his eyes should be focused, and the fault was missed in editing.

I agree that Ian McKellen's portrayal of Gandalf was spot on, I don't think I could ever picture anyone else as Gandalf now.

[Pontin_Finnberry]

I agree that Ian McKellen's portrayal of Gandalf was spot on, I don't think I could ever picture anyone else as Gandalf now.

Well some history for those who don't know and are interested there were others, as you can guess Ian Mckellen wasn't the first live action actor to be Gandalf (sorry to break well known image of gandalf most know), in 1985 there was a Bizarre Russian Version of The Hobbit called "The Fairytale Journey of Mr. Bilbo Baggins, The Hobbit"

Ivan krasko as Gandalf


and then in 1993 there was Finnish Mini series called "Hobitit" which is based on Lotr

Vesa Vierikko as Gandalf

[Wolfhelm]

Well some history for those who don't know and are interested there were others, as you can guess Ian Mckellen wasn't the first live action actor to be Gandalf (sorry to break well known image of gandalf most know), in 1985 there was a Bizarre Russian Version of The Hobbit called "The Fairytale Journey of Mr. Bilbo Baggins, The Hobbit"

Ivan krasko as Gandalf


and then in 1993 there was Finnish Mini series called "Hobitit" which is based on Lotr

Vesa Vierikko as Gandalf

I'm sure they're both fine actors, but to me they look nothing like Gandalf as I've always imagined him. If you'd asked me before the Jackson movies who I thought should play Gandalf, Christopher Lee and Sir Laurence Olivier would have been high on my list. However, from just about the first time I saw Sir Ian McKellen in the costume and makeup, and heard him speak the part, there has never been, and I dare say never will be, a better Gandalf.

[Erionor]

A bit of trivia. Turns out many other actors were considered for the roles in the movie:

Christopher Lee wanted to play Gandalf, but was deemed to be too old. Sean Connery was offered the part, but passed
Bruce Willis keen to play Boromir before it eventually went to Sean Bean. Liam Neeson was also sent the script but said no.
Daniel Day Lewis and Russel Crowe were both in the running for Aragorn, but turned it down.

Think you'll agree the movies would have been soooo different with this casting (and I cant imagine it at all, urgh ...)!

Personally the fact that Jackson for the most part used lesser-known and more understated actors in the movie in the end was much better, as it allowed us to see them as the characters rather than the blockbuster personality.

[Pontin_Finnberry]

A bit of trivia. Turns out many other actors were considered for the roles in the movie:

Christopher Lee wanted to play Gandalf, but was deemed to be too old. Sean Connery was offered the part, but passed
Bruce Willis keen to play Boromir before it eventually went to Sean Bean. Liam Neeson was also sent the script but said no.
Daniel Day Lewis and Russel Crowe were both in the running for Aragorn, but turned it down.

Think you'll agree the movies would have been soooo different with this casting (and I cant imagine it at all, urgh ...)!

Personally the fact that Jackson for the most part used lesser-known and more understated actors in the movie in the end was much better, as it allowed us to see them as the characters rather than the blockbuster personality.

Yeah i read all this Russel Crowe turned it down, as i remember reading interview it was cause he felt that Peter Jackson didn't really want him in the film but was forced to ask, and had an instinct he had someone else in mind and that PJ should hire who he wants.

Christopher Lee would have been first choice as Gandalf as it was his dream role, sadly never come to be, but he was a wonderful Saruman i think both Lee and Mckellen would have fit in either role.

[Boraxxe]

...Christopher Lee would have been first choice as Gandalf as it was his dream role, sadly never come to be, but he was a wonderful Saruman i think both Lee and Mckellen would have fit in either role.

Yes. Lee gave a new substance to Saruman.
Arrogant and dismissive, superior and impatient. I really appreciate how the character of Saruman blossomed with his portrayal.
Saruman never really stuck with me in the text. Lee "stuck" him.